figure



March 31, 1964 E. J. ANDERSON ETAL 3,126,840

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY DUMP CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1960 I/V'VE/VTORS ERNEST I. ANDERSON and AL Vl/V 0. JOHNSON M Attorney March 31, 1964 E. J- ANDERSON ETAL 3,126,340

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY DUMP CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 22, 1960 mvs/vr o/as 50 ERNEST J. ANDERSQN'tmd /"fi r J ,4'6 ALVIN o. JOHNSON A f/a may March 31, 1964 ANDERSON ETAL' 3,126,840

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY DUMP CARS 3 Sheets-$heet 3 Filed Nov. 22, 1960 IN If N T 0R8 E RNE S7 J. ANDERSON and AL V/N 0. JOHNSON Q W Attorney United States Patent ration of New Jersey Filed Nov. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 71,028 10 Claims. (Cl. 105-273) This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the operation of railway side-dump cars and is directed more particularly to improvements that provide both for manual operation by an operator through a hand control on the dump car and for operation from a remote location.

Railway side-dump cars of the type used, for example, in mining operations are commonly mounted on a chassis for dumping operation in opposite pivotal directions about parallel axes on opposite sides of the chassis centerline so that their contents may be discharged selectively on opposite sides of track rails on which the chassis is supported by flanged wheels. The dumping operation of the car body is effected by two similar sets of fluid pressure motors and control valves that are located on opposite sides of the car chassis. In order to protect the operator, the motor control valves are operated by hand controls that are located in positions such that the car dumping operation takes place in a direction away from the operator. Such hand controls are usually movable between two operating positions in which they are latched against movement.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a railway side-dump car control apparatus that enables control of the car dumping operation from a remote location and includes a hand control on the car for manual operation by an operator standing alongside the car.

Another object of the invention is to incorporate into a conventional hand-operated car dumping control system improvements that enable a remote control of the car dumping operation without altering the provisions for its manual control. A further and related object is to provide a car dumping control system of this character which enables a car dumping operation to be effected through a remote control while the conventional hand control is latched against operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hand controlled car dumping apparatus with a control member by which it may be operated to effect a dumping operation while the hand control is locked against movement, together with a fluid pressure motor operated mechanism located at a predetermined point along the track rails for actuating such member to effect a car dumping operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end view illustrating somewhat diagrammatically a conventional railway side-dump car of the type with which this invention is concerned;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational side view showing a preferred embodiment of this invention applied to a railway dump car of the type shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view looking from the right of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2 illustrating the manner in which the invention is applied to controls on opposite sides of a railway car;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of the valve operat- 3,126,840 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 ice ing link shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 in which parts thereof are broken away and a central portion thereof is shown in elevation;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line VI-VI in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of apparatus that embodies the principles of this invention; and

FIGURES 8-10 are views respectively illustrating different operating positions of the modification shown in FIGURE 7.

As indicated, this invention relates to control apparatus for railway side-dump cars of the type, with reference to FIGURE 1, that comprises a car chassis 1 supported by flanged wheels 2 on railway tracks 3, and a dump body 4 mounted on the chassis 1. The body 4 is selectively operable to discharge its contents on opposite sides of the trackway rails 3 and, for this purpose, its mounting on the chassis 1 provides for its tilting movement in opposite pivotal directions about parallel axes on opposite sides of the chassis center-line to and from tilted discharging positions, one of which is shown in solid lines in FIGURE 1. Tilting movement of the body 4 is effected by fluid pressure motors 5 on opposite sides of the chassis 1, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1. The motors 5 are controlled by separate valves 6 (FIGURES 2 and 4) on opposite sides of the chassis 1, which are safety-interlocked by conventional air-valving so that they cannot be operated simultaneously. The valves 6 are conventional two-way rotary valves that are actuated between open and closed positions by rotation of their operating shafts 7 through an angle of 90. In open position, each valve 6 operates to connect a motor 5 with a source of fluid pressure (not shown) to tilt the body 4 to a discharging position, and in closed position to disconnect such motor from the source of fluid pressure for lowering movement of the car body 4 to a horizontal position on the chassis 1. The operating shafts 7 normally occupy a position in which the valves 6 are closed and the body 4 is in a horizontal position on the chassis 1. Since the apparatus thus far described is conventional, the structure of the valves 6 and their fluid pressure connections with the motors 5 have not been illustrated in the drawings.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, the valve operating shafts 7 are rotated either manually by an operator standing alongside the chassis 1, or by an actuator controlled from a remote location. For this purpose, the shaft 7' is connected to a motion transmitting device 8 that is operated selectively by a hand control 9 or by a remotely controlled mechanism designated as a 7 whole by the numeral 10.

As best shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the motion transmitting device 8 comprises a cylindrical sleeve 11 that has a rigid connection at one end 12 With the shaft '7 and a resilient connection with an operating shaft 13, which is rotatably supported in the sleeve 11 by a pair of axially spaced washers 14 and 15. The rigid connection of the sleeve end 12 with the shaft 7 is formed by a washer 16 that has welded connections With the shaft 7 and the sleeve end 12. The resilient connection of the sleeve 11 with the operating shaft 13 is formed by a torsion spring 17 that has one end 18 anchored in an opening 19. in the shaft 13 and its other end 20 anchored in an opening 21 in the sleeve 11. To provide for manual operation of the shaft 7 through an angle of by the operating shaft 13, the washer 15 and shaft 13 have a diametrically extending opening 22 in which a pin 23 has a driven fit. Opposite ends 24 of the pin 23 are received in arcuate slots 25 in the sleeve 11. The sleeve slots 25 have an arcuate length of 90 so that the sleeve 11 may be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 6, relative to the shaft 13 to provide for remotely controlled rotation of the valve actuating shaft 7 in a manner to be described. Prior to driving the pin 23 into the position shown in FIGURE 6, the shaft 13 is rotated relative to the sleeve 11 to place the spring 17 under tension and to provide a resilient bias for rotation of the sleeve 11 in a counter clock-wise direction to the position shown in FIGURE 6 in which the ends 26 of the slots 25 engage the pin ends 24. In this position of the sleeve 11, the valve operated by the shaft 7 is in its closed position and the car body 4 occupies a horizontal position on the chassis 1. The engagement of the pin ends 24 with the ends 26 of the slots 25 in the sleeve I1 further provides a direct connection by which manual rotation of the shaft 15 in a manner to be described is effective to rotate the sleeve 11 and shaft 7 in a clock-wise direction as viewed in FIGURE 6 to move the valve 6 to its open position and to thereby operate one of the motors to tilt the body 4.

Bearings 29 suspended from a frame sill 28 by angles 27 support each shaft 13 and connecting device 8 for rotation therein. The drive for effecting manual operation of the shaft 13 comprises a pitman shaft 30, a crank-arm 31 on the shaft 13, and a crank-pin connection 32 between the outer end of the crank 31 and one end of the shaft 30. The other end 33 of the shaft 30 projects outwardly through a guide slot 34 in the chassis end beam 35 and is connected with the handle 9. Upon operation of the handle 9 to move the part 33 between opposite ends 36 and 37 of the slot 34, the pitman shaft 30 operates to move the crank-arm 31 through an angle of 90. Recesses 38 and 39 extending downwardly from opposite ends 36 and 37 of the slot 34 provide latching notches in which the part 33 is received to lock the handle 9 against movement. Locking dogs 33a are rotatably mounted on the end beam 35 above each notch 38 shown in FIGURE 3 to hold the part 33 against accidental removal. Upon operation of the handle 5 to move the part 33 out of the notch 38, through the guide slot 34, and then into the notch 39, the shaft 13 is rotated through an angle of 90, and the connecting device 8, by reason of the engagement of the pin ends 24 with the ends 26 of the sleeve slots 25, operates to rotate the shaft 7 to move the valve 6 connected thereto from its closed to its open position, and thus operate the motor 5 to tilt the car body to the discharging position shown in full lines in FIGURE 1. When the handle 9 is thereafter returned to the position shown in FIGURE 3, the biasing action of the torsion spring 17 rotates the sleeve 11 in a counter clock-wise direction, as viewed in FIG- URE 6, to move the valve 6 to its closed position for lowering movement of the car body.

The remotely controlling mechanism comprises a bar 40 extending longitudinally of the chassis 1 and pivotally supported thereon by a pair of arms 41 that pivot about a shaft 42 carried by brackets 43 suspended from the frame 1. Rotational movement of the actuating bar 40 is transmitted to the sleeve 11 of the motion transmitting device 8 by a connecting link 44 through a crank-arm 45 connected to the sleeve 11. When the bar 40 is moved upwardly, as viewed in FIGURE 3, the connecting link 44 actuates the crank-arm 45 to rotate the sleeve 11 and thereby the shaft 7 to move the control valve 6 connected thereto from its closed to its open position. Upward movement of the bar 40 and actuation of the valve 6 in this manner is eifected by a fluid pressure motor 46 mounted in the roadbed for the track rails 3, as shown in FIGURE 1, and an operating part 47 on the upper end of the piston rod 48 of a fluid pressure motor 46 which is controlled from a remotely located control station 49 through conventional controlling connections designated diagrammatically by the broken line 56. When the motor 46 is operated to move the piston rod 48 upwardly, the operating part 47 engages the bar to move the link 44 upwardly and thereby actuate the sleeve 11 and shaft 7 connected thereto to move the control valve 6 from its closed to its open position as described above. By reason of the pin and slot connection 23-25 between the sleeve 11 and shaft 13, operation of the shaft 7 by the remotely controlled mechanism 10 is accomplished Without imparting movement to the manually rotatable shaft 13. For example, when the handle control part 33 is engaged in the latching notch 38, the shaft 13 will be locked against rotation, and remotely controlled rotation of the sleeve 11 will operate to increase the torsion on the spring 17 without imparting rotation to the shaft 13.

The location of the fluid pressure motor 46 along the track rails 3 corresponds to the position at which the contents of the car body 4 are to be discharged, and this requires that the chassis 1 be stopped in a position with the valve actuating bar 4% arranged over the motor 46 to enable a remote control of its operation. A conventional car spotting system with indicating lights (not shown) may be used for this purpose. In order to prevent discharging operation of cars that are not properly located, it will be understood that the apparatus of this invention in practice will be provided with conventional safety interlocks for preventing operation of the control valves 6 except when the cars are in a selected dumping position that is determined by the length of the valve actuating bar 46. A further safety feature is provided by the spring loaded action of the motion transmitting device 8 which operates to stop the car dumping action by moving the valve 6 to its closed position in the event of the motor actuated part 47 moving out of contact with the bar 40.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 7-10, the valve 6 is operated by a shaft 51 that is rotatably supported on the chassis 1 by bearings 52 and replaces the shafts 7 and 13 shown in FIGURES 1-6. The actuating bar 40 is connected to the shaft 51 by arms 53 for remotely controlled operation of the valve 6 by the motor 46 as described above. A coil spring 54 arranged concentrically on a shaft 55 provides a resilient bias against rotary movement of the shaft 51 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 7-10 and corresponding movement of the valve 6 to its open position. The spring 54 has one end bearing against a block 56 that is secured to the shaft 55 against movement with respect thereto, and has its other end bearing against a block 57 mounted for axial sliding movement on the shaft 55. The spring 54 normally biases the movement of the block 57 on the shaft 55 to a position in which it engages a stop collar 58 on one end of the shaft 55. The slide block 57 has a pivotal trunnion support 59 on the outer ends 60 of a pair of arms 61, which are secured to the shaft 51 for rotation therewith. Rotation of the shaft 51 to operate the valve 6 is effected by endwise movement of the shaft 55, which has a handle 62 at its other end for this purpose. The handle 62 is adapted to be received in notches 63 and 64 formed in an end wall 65 of the chassis 1.

When the handle 62 is received in the notch 63, the spring 54 biases the slide block 57 to a position engaged with the stop collar 58, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawings. In this position, the shaft 51 is biased to a position closing the valve 6. Upon actuation of the motor 46 to move the bar 40 upwardly and rotate the shaft 51 in a clock-wise direction to move the valve 6 to its open position, the supporting armst6tl are rotated to the position shown in FIGURE 9 and the block 57 slides along the shaft 55 compressing the spring 54. After subsequent operation of the motor 46 to lower the operating part 47, the biasing action of the spring 54 operates to return the parts to the relative positions shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 and to thereby move the valve 6 to its closed position. If manual operation of the valve 6 is desired, the handle 62 is removed from the notch 63 and placed in the notch 64 to position the rod 55 as shown in FIGURE and thus rotate the shaft 51 to move the valve 6 to its open position.

While several embodiments of our invention have been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for controlling the operation of sidedump railway cars of the type including a chassis movable over railway track rails, a body supported on said chassis for movement to and from a dumping position, a motor for actuating said body to its said dumping position, and means controlling the operation of said motor including a shaft movable between first and second operating positions, the combination with said shaft of a first actuating member having a rigid connection therewith,. means controlled from a remote location for operating said first actuating member to move said shaft from said first position to said second position, a second actuating member arranged for manual operation, means including a spring connecting said second actuating member with said shaft and rendering said second actuating member effective upon manual operation thereof to move said shaft from said first position to said second position, and means for latching said second actuating member against movement, said spring being yieldable to permit operation of said shaft by said first actuating member without imparting movement to said second actuating member.

2. A control apparatus as defined in claim 1 characterized by said remotely controlled means comprising an operating part arranged at a predetermined point along the path of movement of said chassis over said track rails and normally occupying a retracted position out of the path of movement of said chassis, means for moving said operating part to engage and operate said first actuating member, and means remotely located with respect to said predetermined point for controlling the operation of said operating part moving means.

3. A control apparatus as defined in claim 2 characterized further by said operating part moving means comprising a fluid pressure motor having a piston rod projecting outwardly therefrom, and by said operating part being connected to said piston rod for operation thereby.

4. A control apparatus as defined in claim 1 characterized by said shaft being mounted for rotation between its said first and said second positions, and by said first actuating member comprising a lever secured to said shaft and projecting radially outwardly therefrom.

5. In apparatus for controlling the operation of sidedump railway cars of the type including a chassis movable over trackway rails, a body mounted on said chassis for movement to and from a dumping position, a motor for actuating said body to its said dumping position, and means controlling the operation of said motor including a control shaft rotatable through an angle of 90 between first and second operating positions, the combination with said control shaft of an operating shaft extending axially with respect to said control shaft, a torsion spring having one end connected with said control shaft and its other end connected with said operating shaft, a lever connected with said control shaft, means controlled from a remote location for operating said lever to rotate said control shaft from said first to said second operating position, manual means for rotating said operating shaft, and connecting means separate from said spring rendering rotation of said operating shaft effective to move said control shaft from said first to said second operating positions, said torsion spring being yieldable to permit operation of said control shaft by said lever without imparting rotation to said operating shaft and providing a bias for return movement of said control shaft from said second to said first operating position.

6. In apparatus for controlling the operation of sidedump railway cars of the type including a chassis movable over trackway rails, a body mounted on said chassis for movement to and from a dumping position, a motor for actuating said body to its said dumping position, and means controlling the operation of said motor including a control shaft rotatable through an angle of between first and second operating positions, the combination with said control shaft of a cylindrical sleeve secured to and projecting axially from the end of said control shaft, an axially extending operating shaft having an end portion arranged concentrically in said sleeve, a torsion spring having one end connected with said sleeve and an opposite end connected with said operating shaft, a pin and slot connection between said sleeve and operating shaft rendering said operating shaft effective to rotate said control shaft from said first to said second operating position, a lever connected with said control shaft, and means controlled from a remote location for operating said lever to rotate said control shaft from said first to said second operating position, said pin and slot connection providing for rotation of said control shaft to said second position by said lever Without imparting movement to said operating shaft, said torsion spring being yieldable to permit operation of said control shaft by said lever without imparting rotation to said operating shaft and providing a bias for return movement of said control shaft from said second to said first operating position.

7. In apparatus for controlling the operation of sidedump railway cars of the type including a chassis movable over trackway rails, a body mounted on said chassis for movement to and from a dumping position, a motor for actuating said body to its said dumping position, and means controlling the operation of said motor including a control shaft rotatable through an angle of 90 between first and second operating positions, the combination with said control shaft of, a first lever connected with said control shaft, means controlled from a remote location for operating said first lever to rotate said control shaft from said first to said second operating position, manual means for rotating said control shaft from said first to said second operating position comprising a second lever connected with said control shaft, a slide block having a central opening and a pivotal support on said second lever, an operating shaft extending axially through said opening and supported for sliding axial movement in said slide block, a collar on said operating shaft for engaging one side of said slide block to render movement of said operating shaft in one axial direction effective to rotate said control shaft from said first to said second operating position, a coil spring extending axially of said operating shaft with one end bearing against an opposite side of said slide block, and a second collar secured to said operating shaft and bearing against the other end of said coil spring, said spring being yieldable to permit operation of said control shaft by said first lever without imparting movement to said operating shaft.

8. A control apparatus as defined in claim 6 characterized by the provision of manual means for rotating said operating shaft.

9. In apparatus for controlling the operation of sidedump railway cars of the type including a chassis movable over trackway rails, a body mounted on said chassis for movement to and from a dumping position, a motor for actuating said body to its said dumping position, and means controlling the operation of said motor including a control shaft rotatable through an angle of 90 between first and second operating positions, the combination with said control shaft of an operating shaft for said control shaft, a spring having a connection at one end with said control shaft and its other end a aeeao connected with said operating shaft, a lever connected with said control shaft, means controlled from a remote location for operating said lever to rotate said control shaft from said first to said second operating position, manual means for moving said operating shaft, and connecting means separate from said spring rendering movement of said operating shaft effective to move said control shaft from said first to said second operating positions, said spring being yieldable to permit operation of said control shaft by said lever without imparting movement to said operating shaft and providing a bias for return movement of said control shaft from said second to said first operating position.

10. In apparatus for controlling the operation of sidedump railway cars of the type including a chassis movable over trackway rails, a body mounted on said chassis for movement to and from a dumping position, a motor for actuating said body to its said dumping position, and means controlling the operation of said motor including a control shaft rotatable through an angle of 90 between first and second operating positions, the combination with said control shaft of a lever connected with said control shaft, means controlled from a remote location for operating said lever to rotate said control shaft from said first to said second operating position, and manual means for operating said control shaft comprising an actuating member arranged for manual operation, means connecting said actuating member with said control shaft comprising a first part connected With said control shaft for movementtherewith, and a second part connected with said actuating member for movement thereby and engageable with said first part in one direction of movement of said actuating member to move said control shaft from said first to said second operating position, said first part being moveable relative to said second part upon operation of said control shaft by said lever, and a spring having a connection at one end with said first part and a connection at its other end with said manual actuating member, and means for latching said manual actuating member against movement, said spring being yieldable to permit operation of said control shaft to said second operating position by said ever Without imparting movement to said actuating memher and providing a bias for return movement of said control shaft from said second to said first operating position.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF SIDEDUMP RAILWAY CARS OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A CHASSIS MOVABLE OVER RAILWAY TRACK RAILS, A BODY SUPPORTED ON SAID CHASSIS FOR MOVEMENT TO AND FROM A DUMPING POSITION, A MOTOR FOR ACTUATING SAID BODY TO ITS SAID DUMPING POSITION, AND MEANS CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF SAID MOTOR INCLUDING A SHAFT MOVABLE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND OPERATING POSITIONS, THE COMBINATION WITH SAID SHAFT OF A FIRST ACTUATING MEMBER HAVING A RIGID CONNECTION THEREWITH, MEANS CONTROLLED FROM A REMOTE LOCATION FOR OPERATING SAID FIRST ACTUATING MEMBER TO MOVE SAID SHAFT FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TO SAID SECOND POSITION, A SECOND ACTUATING MEMBER ARRANGED FOR MANUAL OPERATION, MEANS INCLUDING A SPRING CONNECTING SAID SECOND ACTUATING MEMBER WITH SAID SHAFT AND RENDERING SAID SECOND ACTUATING MEMBER EFFECTIVE UPON MANUAL OPERATION THEREOF TO MOVE SAID SHAFT FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TO SAID SECOND POSITION, AND MEANS FOR LATCHING SAID SECOND ACTUATING MEMBER AGAINST MOVEMENT, SAID SPRING BEING YIELDABLE TO PERMIT OPERATION OF SAID SHAFT BY SAID FIRST ACTUATING MEMBER WITHOUT IMPARTING MOVEMENT TO SAID SECOND ACTUATING MEMBER. 